Vince Cable

Residents on Ash Island, near Hampton Court, (50 houseboats and three permanent buildings) are being asked to pay a toll of £4 every time they enter or leave their home. The tolls are being levied by the Environment Agency which recently took another group of residents (on Trowlock Island) to court after imposing a massive increase in charges to cross to the Island by a chain ferry.

On Ash Island residents have to cross the Molesey Lock to reach the mainland and have done so for decades. The Environment Agency, which is seeking "best value" from its assets, has decided to impose a five fold increase in access charges (ie 80p to £4). Vincent Cable MP who has taken up the issue on the residents' behalf says that "the charge is extortionate and totally unrelated to the Environment Agency's costs. When they took the Trowlock Islanders to court they were told by the judge to apply some common sense and I would recommend that approach here."